Debrief
by Ranger24
Summary: After the Diadact's attack upon Earth the Master Chief is ordered to receive a full psychological evaluation. Contains Spoilers for Halo 4. Read and Review.


Debrief

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The small office was surprisingly cozy for a ship board psychiatric ward. Still he felt naked with out his armor on. The Black dress uniform he had been given was about the only garment he owned or wore sans his armor.

He hadn't exactly wanted to come here but someone higher up the command chain, likely in O.N.I had ordered he receive a full psyche evaluation. So here he sat silently in one of the comfortable chairs wishing he was anywhere else; cryo storage, a firing range, battle, anywhere else.

John 117 however did not have that luxury however.

The door opened and a man in a naval medical uniform entered. He had wispy grey hair and somber brown eyes covered by thin spectacles. Chief immediately made note of the Lieutenant Commanders insignia on his collar, stood, and snapped off a drilled salute.

"At ease Master Chief," the man replied taking the seat opposite him. "And please sit down."

John complied silently as the Lieutenant Commander conferred with a data pad.

"How about we start with introductions?" The LC suggested. "I am Lieutenant Commander Garrick, I'm with Navy Medical, Psychiatric division."

John said nothing in response.

"And you are Master Chief Petty Officer John 117," Garrick continued unperturbed. "I understand from your files that you prefer to be addressed by your rank rather than name, is that correct?" John nodded. "Now before we begin do you have any questions?"

"Permission to speak freely sir?"

"Granted."

"Why am I here?"

Garrick sighed at this.

"Your situation Master Chief is unique," he began. "Four years ago you spent several weeks in prolonged combat action without any real rest save for if the records are correct a few hours sleep on the Frigate Forward Unto Dawn just prior to the Battle of the Ark, after which you were in combat for several more days without real rest before going into cryo stasis for four years. Then you wake up and are thrown directly back into heavy combat situations with little rest or break beyond being knocked unconscious for some hours. Add to that the loss of certain comrades..."

John's face remained impassive.

"The UNSC is concerned you may be suffering from a case of battle fatigue or potentially PTSD," Garrick finished.

"Respectfully sir, I feel fine," John replied.

Garrcik gave him a small smile. "Physically perhaps, but mentally?"

John said nothing in response to this.

Garrick pressed a button on his data pad.

"I have a copy of your complete service record Master Chief," he stated. "Including most of the highly classified parts. Its a remarkable read. Looking through it one would think you were the reincarnation of Hercules."

"I'm just a soldier sir," John replied.

"That's not how others see it," Garrick said, straightening up. "The rank and file see you as a living legend, a hero who cannot be beaten. "

John said nothing in response to this.

"Let's move on shall we," Garrick continued. "First we have the death of Commander Miranda Keyes. I understand you arrived to late to assist her and Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson against the Prophet of Truth and his bodyguards. Am I correct?"

John simply nodded.

"Do you possibly feel that if you could have arrived sooner you could have prevented her death?"

"It's possible sir."

"Do you feel any guilt or remorse regarding her death?"

"She did her duty," John replied. "I did my best to do mine."

Garrick nodded and made a note.

"Moving on," he said. "During the activation of Installation 04B, Sergeant Major Avery Jones Johnson was mortally wounded by the Forerunner Artificial Intelligence 343 Guilty Spark. According to your service record you served with him multiple times during the final months of the war."

"He was a good man," John replied. "And a good soldier."

"Did you consider him a friend?"

"Yes," John admitted.

Garrick nodded making another note.

"Moving ahead to more recent events," he said. "The incidents on Requiem, Ivanoff Research Station, and New Phoenix. When did you first notice the beginnings of the Artificial intelligence CTN 0452-9 designated Cortana's rampancy?"

John was silent.

"I am trying to help you Master Chief," Garrick assured him. "I understand if this is a touchy subject for you. I you would like we can leave it for now and come back another time?"

John shook his head.

"On the _Dawn_," he answered. "She had brief moment of lag, static, glitching. When we first made it to Requiem it happened again and she told me about the problem."

"You believed that if you could make it back to Earth and locate Doctor Catherine Halsey you could get Cortana repaired?" Garrick asked. John nodded. "But then you became side tracked due to the Diadact and his forces."

"Cortana gave her life to stop the Diadact," John stated. "I couldn't stop him on my own."

Garrick nodded making another note.

"One more question Master Chief," he said. "Then I'll let you ask me anything you want." John nodded. "Have you ever regretted being conscripted into the Spartan Program? Even once? Even for a moment?"

John was silent for a moment before he spoke.

"Never."

-Halo-

**UNITED NATIONS SPACE COMMAND PRIORITY TRANSMISSION**

ENCRYPTION CODE: RED

PUBLIC KEY: file/Sierra-117-Psychological-Evaluation/

FROM: Lieutenant Commander Garrick, UNSC Medical Corps, Psychiatric Division

TO: Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood, Chief of Naval Operations.

SUBJECT: Psychological Evaluation of Master Chief Petty Officer John-117

CLASSIFICATION:

/START FILE/

Admiral, it is of opinion that the Master Chief is currently psychologically stable but is in a state of mourning. Most Spartan S-II's hide their emotional states very well and John-117 is clearly one of the best at it. It is clear however that underneath this stoic mask is a human being.

I recommend he be eased back into the fold, keep him close to familiar faces, reunite him with Blue Team. I do not recommend stationing him on the _UNSC Infinity_ for the time being. Given time I believe he will be fit for a return to more active duty.

On a personal level, I believe that as the Master Chief is humanities greatest hero he be awarded some time to collect himself. We owe him that much.

/END FILE/

PRESS **ENTER** TO OPEN LINKED ATTACHMENTS.

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**Ranger24: Its been a long time since I wrote anything for Halo, more importantly something serious. After Halo 4 I started wondering about where the Chief goes from here. I'm sure others have taken this avenue as well but most have probably taken the Chief a bit to far out character. I wanted to stay true to the Chief and just make a simple short. I wanted to get across that he's hurt, that everything has effected him, but he's still the Master Chief. He's still my first Video Game badass. Read and Review.**


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